You’re on the Treasure Coast of Florida, of course you want to stay on a boat!
Renting a houseboat in Florida was not something ever on our radar, but when the opportunity presented itself on our recent family vacation to Florida we jumped aboard.
In doing so, we discovered a unique and fun accommodation experience, not just for families, but couples or groups of friends traveling together.
UPDATE: This houseboat appears to be no longer available! Boo Hoo! See other vacation rentals for Martin County here. And other houseboats in Florida for rent here. Keep reading though as the post will give you an idea on what to expect when you rent a houseboat!
We recently visited Martin County and the Treasure Coast on a marketing campaign with Visit Florida and VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner). After extensive research on VRBO for Martin County vacation rentals, we found this houseboat docked on the Port St Lucie River.
Note: This review is not sponsored or part of our campaign agreements. We wanted to share this as it was such a cool and unique place to stay in this Florida vacation spot!
We wanted our stay to be unique and in keeping with the safe COVID-19 vacation world. The houseboat rentals offered seclusion plus serenity. You won’t have to worry about making noise – we had plenty of distance to the nearest neighbor, and you certainly won’t have to worry about intrusion into your safe travel bubble.
We’d love to come back each winter, rent the houseboat for a week, and have equal parts enjoying the restful experience of the accommodation and going on Treasure Coast adventures.
It felt like we were camping or RVing. The houseboat gives you that similar close to nature feel, but in a stationary way, with less movement work on your behalf. It was also more spacious with stunning decks all round.
Your floating accommodation is a restored luxury private river houseboat stocked with a fully equipped kitchen, a living room, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 decks, and a HOT TUB!
Choose your Deck + View
We loved that the houseboat came with views all round, no matter where you were on the boat, even from the bathroom windows!
I doubt you will spend much time inside with the gorgeous Florida winter temperatures. Why would you when you have three decks outside to enjoy?
There is the front of the boat deck as you first enter the property. It’s a small, shaded seating area, which would probably be good in the warmer months.
The small ensuite back deck. Take your morning coffee straight from the main bedroom out on the back deck overlooking the river. It’s covered so will be shaded form the hot sun.
We opted for the top deck mostly on our winter vacation. It was gorgeous day and night. You get full panoramic views of the St Lucie river and jungled landscapes on the banks.
The top deck comes with lounge chairs and a hot tub. There is also a covered section where the captain’s wheel is. This is a nice spot for breakfast when you want something a little more formal and shaded.
Use the top deck for sunning, reading, playing cards, watching the sunrise and sunsets, watching the river life, and relaxing in the jacuzzi. You’ll see plenty of bird life and, if lucky, perhaps a few dolphins swimming by. We didn’t, but other guests have.
You will only hear the sounds of nature on this houseboat. It was perfect.
Just be careful on the top deck as it can get slippery when its wet from the hot tub and morning dew.
Listen: We recorded a podcast episode on our South Florida Road Trip.
Sunrise, Sunset and Star Gazing
The top deck is the ultimate spot for viewing sunrise, sunset and stargazing.
Sunrise will come from behind you. So, you get pretty colors in front and a soft light on the mangroves on the opposite side of the river.
It’s best viewed from a kayak on the river so you can see the full sunrise. We visited during a full moon so had the moon setting over the mangroves as the sun was rising which was spectacular!
We missed sunset from the houseboat unfortunately as we were out busy every evening doing activities, but it’s meant to be amazing. You’ll get to see it drop behind the mangroves.
Then there is star gazing. We jumped in the hot tub late one night and loved watching the stars directly above us. What more do you want from your accommodation?
Hot Tub
The hot tub on the top deck is a fantastic addition to the houseboat.
We used it both in the morning and at night. It’s small, but perfectly suited to the houseboat size. Grab your drink of choice and enjoy!
Kayaks and Paddle Boards
With all the features of the houseboat you can really spend your days just soaking up the beauty of the natural environment and having a restful break.
The houseboat rental comes with kayaks and stand up paddle boards. There is a small launching beach off the property.
I took a kayak out for sunrise, which was so serene and beautiful. You can paddle up and down the St Lucie River.
Inside the Houseboat
There is ample living space in the houseboat. I found it larger than I anticipated.
There is a master bedroom with TV and a smaller ensuite. There are two additional bedrooms, one downstairs and one upstairs (split level). Both our girls enjoyed their own little private sleeping nook.
There is a main bathroom with an excellent shower – full pressure and hot.
Finally, there is an open plan living, dining, kitchen area with plenty of room to cook and watch TV. The kitchen comes full stocked with everything you need to cook up a storm and plenty of coffee is supplied.
A washer and dryer is included, as is Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and a boom speaker for your music needs.
BBQ + Fishing Dock
Another fantastic outdoor feature of the houseboat is the small BBQ deck at the end of the wooden pier where the boat is moored is a small deck with BBQ for your cookouts.
You can’t get any closer to nature than this. We enjoyed grilling our breakfast one morning then eating it in the top deck sun room area.
This dock is also a great spot for fishing. Every morning we saw them jumping out of the water. There are plenty around!
Solar Panels – Eco Friendly accommodation
Cappy (owner Captain) who lives nearby and his daughter Jessica are fantastic resources. Cappy was in the middle of installing solar panels when we stayed on the houseboat. The installation is due to be finished soon.
This ups the rating for this unique family accommodation. We love supporting and promoting sustainability and treading lightly.
Docked on a spacious property
We loved the isolation of the property the houseboat was docked at. We could not see any neighbors and we had plenty of land to enjoy if we wanted.
The garden out back came with a gigantic mango tree – fruit wasn’t blooming but if it is on your visit, pick and eat away.
There was also a hammock under the shady trees which caught the breeze, a table for dining, and a fire pit for roasting marshmallows at night.
We were disappointed we did not get time to do this as we had a busy itinerary exploring Martin County.
This houseboat rental in Port St Lucie River is privacy PLUS! See more here.
Port St Lucie River Location
Tucked away on the St Lucie River that feeds into Jensen Beach, this 3 acre waterfront property in Port St Lucie, Florida, has an excellent location within a short driving distance to your favorite places in Martin County and the Treasure Coast.
The Treasure Coast is located on the southeastern coast of Florida (Atlantic Coast). The region is comprised of three counties: Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County.
It’s called The Treasure Coast due to the fleet of 11 Spanish ships wrecked offshore between the St. Lucie River and Cape Canaveral.
This treasure-carrying fleet was sunk by the winds of a hurricane, scattering gold, silver and jewels over the bottom of the ocean. Treasure can still be found washed up on the shores, so keep your eyes peeled!
The houseboat is docked in St Lucie County but we spent most of our time in Martin County. You can read all the amazing things to do in Martin County here.
It is about a 20-minute drive to Jensen Beach or Stuart, the two most popular places in Martin County with plenty of attractions for you to enjoy.
If you’re coming from out of state, the best way to get to the Treasure Coast is by flying into Palm Beach International Airport (PBI).
But we flew into Orlando as it was a direct flight from Raleigh, better flight times, and including driving time it ended up being quicker. AND Bonus, it was cheaper. Like half the price. We needed a rental car anyway so it was perfect.
- Check flights on Skyscanner
- Check rental cars here (We found the cheapest rate on Rentalcars.com and always do!)
Excellent Communication and Service
We were impressed with the communication and service of the owners, Jessica and her dad Cappy. They were in the middle of upgrading the boat to solar panels, but they were very accommodating to allow us to stay and make it perfect for us with a backup generator.
Cappie and his right hand man, Spencer were awesome. They greeted us at the boat and gave us a tour of how everything worked and ensured all was working for us.
We had an issue with luggage delays with Delta on our flight from Raleigh. They helped us make sure the airline found the property by putting a big sign out the front on the private road entrance to the property. We were out when it arrived and they made sure it arrived safely and put it on our deck for us.
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